Returning
by Irihi Safaia
Summary: A Fidelius Charm is broken and someone comes home to Hogwarts. Ves is ever so happy to be able to see her brother for the first time in 17 years. ABANDONED
1. The Letter

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP characters or any of the cannon stuff. I do, however, like to think I own Sureves and both Ves and Sev's middle names. ^-^  
  
Returning Prologue: The Letter ~~~~~~~  
  
She gazed down at the letter that was spread out on her table. She had honestly never thought to hear from any of the wizards or witches she had once lived amongst. It had been decided long ago that she must disappear to protect both herself and her brother. Since the fateful night of the Fidelius Charm, she had not heard from anyone.  
  
The note before was clearly a sign that the Charm had been broken and that she was to come immediately to Hogwarts.  
  
Dropping the parchment, she raced up the staircase and into the attic to drag out her old school trunk. Flinging it open, she pulled out the wand she had forgone touching for nearly seventeen years.  
  
The moment her fingers wrapped around the length (10" willow, flexible with a core of mercury) a pleasant jolt of electricity zipped up her arm.  
  
"Brother-dearest, I'm coming home!" she whispered happily. She had to write a note, but a swift flick of her wand and a murmured spell had the letter of resignation from her position of Chemistry Teacher at a local college written and deposited magically on the dean's desk.  
  
Another few warm-up spells and her things were all packed and her files altered so that her home would seem occupied, would not let anyone in, and all her mail would be picked up by an owl and re-routed to Hogwarts.  
  
All of this prep took about three hours, and then she Apparated to Hogsmeade.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Do you like it? Please review. If you don't like it, then please review to tell me why. I'm so hungry, please feed me! *points to the review box* Please? ;-; 


	2. Coming Home

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP characters or any of the cannon stuff. I do, however, like to think I own Sureves and both Ves and Sev's middle names. ^-^  
  
Returning Chapter 1: Coming Home ~~~~~~~  
  
Her trunk was shrunk and tucked into a pocket of her jeans. Her hair, which she had grown out to shoulder length to frame her face, was pulled back in a ponytail in hopes of hiding it's greasy state. She hadn't managed to figure out how to keep her hair from getting so oily just hours after she'd showered. Perhaps her brother had figured it out.  
  
She wore a black tank-top and black jeans underneath an open black cotton duster. She would have to look into getting robes if she was going to work as her brother's assistant for the school year. Or maybe not. She would see.  
  
Dark eyes gazed at the tall stone building that would be her new shelter. "Home," she whispered, then broke into a dead run.  
  
Hogwarts, being the loving mother-type building that she was, flung open her doors like a mother flinging open her arms when greeting a long-lost child. Sureves laughed brightly as she threw herself through the doors and raced through the empty halls (the children were all in class at the moment) towards the gargoyle.  
  
Skidding to a halt, she smiled at the gargoyle and murmured the password that had been agreed upon so long ago.  
  
"Bliss."  
  
The gargoyle, shocked at the long unused password, blinked at her before swinging aside to let her board the escalator-like staircase.  
  
She paused at the door before knocking lightly. Would her brother have been dismissed from classes to welcome her home?  
  
"Come child," the deep voice of her old teacher called out from within the chamber beyond, drawing her into opening the door and stepping forward.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore," she said with a small smile.  
  
"Sureves Somes Snape," the older wizard said warmly, standing and moving around the desk to open his arms. She gladly moved forward to hug him.  
  
"But," she said as she stepped back moments later, "where is he? You didn't let him out of class?"  
  
A slow smile curved the Headmaster's lips. "No. In fact, he has no idea you have been summoned back. The Charm was broken when your Secret Holder died, Ves. However, I didn't realize that he was dead until just yesterday."  
  
Her dark eyes widened. "But wasn't my brother watching him? How did you find out he was dead before Sev did??"  
  
Dumbledore blushed lightly and looked at the woman before him appraisingly. She was full-figured though slight. She was just as he would think Severus's twin sister would look like.  
  
"I had the care for your old pet while Severus was in the Hospital Wing after Riddle found out about his double-cross. However, he was to take up care for old Tristan after he got back into the swing of things. Unfortunately, I have not had a pet that required feeding for decades and... well, I forgot to feed your snake."  
  
Black eyes widened and pale skin bleached out to white. "You *starved* my snake?? How could you?! Albus!"  
  
He hung his head, then lifted it to stare at her. "Only the spell was keeping him alive as it was, Ves. As soon as we broke the Charm, he would have died anyway."  
  
Tears welled up, but were swiftly blinked away. "I refuse to talk to you, Albus Dumbledore until such time as I feel more charitable towards you. I do, however, trust that our previous arrangements are all still standing."  
  
The Headmaster nodded dully and sank into his chair. "Sev teaches Potions," he said by way of answer.  
  
Ves nodded and turned with a swirl of her black duster and stalked out of the room in unknown imitation of her twin.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Not long, but eh. I hope you like it! ^-^ If there's enough response, I may even write more. Or I still might write more anyway. So please feed the author! REVIEW! *points at the little drop down at the bottom* please? ;-; 


	3. Enter Stage Back

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP characters or any of the cannon stuff. I do, however, like to think I own Sureves and both Ves and Sev's middle names. ^-^  
  
Returning  
  
Chapter 2: Enter Stage Back  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
By the time she reached the door to the Potions classroom, she had decided to forgive her old teacher by the end of the month. Not a moment sooner would she willingly talk to Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Pausing just long enough to release her hair so it draped around her face to partially hide her features (silently bemoaning its greasy state), she carefully pushed open the door and slid into the room.  
  
Only the sounds of bubbling cauldrons met her ears. But that only lasted a moment before the only adult in the room swept up behind a teenager. "Mister Longbottom," a deep voice said menacingly, "Are you so incompetent that you cannot follow a /simple/ list of instructions?"  
  
The child cowered before the imposing man and Ves's lips slowly curved into a smirk. He hadn't changed a bit. And from the way he was acting, there was only one House that the child could be from. Only one House had ever made her brother stand so rigidly when dressing down someone.  
  
So she swept forward, a ripple of gasps following her form as she stalked forward in a way that made her duster swirl out behind her like an open robe. "Ten Points from Gryffindor," she growled, "For drawing so many stares for an unfinished potion." As she took the points away, she moved until she was standing on the other side of the unfortunate Longbottom and staring down her hooked nose at him.  
  
The unfortunate child looked at first one Snape, then the other, blinked, and then did the only thing a self-respecting Gryffindor would do when faced with the Snape Twins. His eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground in a faint.  
  
Sureves tisked and turned towards the closest looking book-worm, snapping her fingers at the girl. "Name."  
  
A pause and then, "Hermione Granger, Ma'am."  
  
Dark eyes narrowed, "House," she growled.  
  
"G-Gryffindor, Ma'am."  
  
"Five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger. I am a Professor and you will not call me that irritating name. Now let your lab partner clean up and take Mister Longbottom to the Hospital Wing."  
  
Silence greeted her words as the teen obeyed her. Then a sharp crack of her brother's voice, "Get back to work!"  
  
She surveyed the busy children as the young girl took her House-Fellow out of the room. How had her brother survived with such incompetent children? At least all /her/ students had been old enough not to pull childish pranks... thinking of which!  
  
"You," she stalked towards a red-headed young man. "Hand over that firecracker right now. By the looks of your hair, you're probably one of the overly-huge Weasley-clan. I cannot believe that no one ever cast a Sterilization Charm on them. Five points from Gryffindor for daring to bring this item into this room."  
  
And that was how the rest of the class period went. The students would be watching one Snape while the other swooped in to deduct House Points.... A total of 75 points were lost that period... all by Gryffindor, of course.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So?? How'd you like it? {bounces} Please say you liked it. Oh! Any requests for pairings? I haven't decided if I want to pair either Sev or Ves with anyone... and student pairing ideas are welcome also! The twins must have /someone/ to catch out in the locked classrooms at night ^-^  
  
Hopefully I'll update again tomorrow, but just in case I'm too slagged to write, please feed me so I don't loose the will the live (and my muse doesn't try to gnaw on my leg... I share my food with her!) 


	4. Reaction

Disclaimer: I don't own them... except Ves. She's my baby (well, my muse but who's really looking at details??)  
  
Now to respond to my feeders ~_^  
  
dshael: glad you like her. She was born out of a dye-job on my hair ^-^  
  
Deritine: Isn't it just? And you can have more! See? I posted chapter 3 and here's chapter 4!  
  
Fancy: Well, here's more for you ^-^ And yes, you guessed it! It's all part of the arrangements stemming from before the charm was cast. As long as she still wished it, she would become the assistant of the Potions Professor (with the hope that it was Sev). Part of the bargain was that she must teach while she was under the charm ^-^ hence she taught College Level Chemestry! Hope you like the reaction in this chapter!  
  
IloveSam: You forget! Sev is {cue dark music here} a spy! He is skilled at hiding his emotions and adapting to situations! But don't worry, he SHALL react! As for the Fidelius Charm, it's what Lily and James Potter were under. You get a Secret Keeper who is the only one who can find where you are/tell people how to find you. The only way you can be found is if your Secret Keeper betrays you (like Wormtail did to Prongs and his wife) or if they die (that's my addition, don't know if J.K.R. would agree ^-^) And thank you for being patient with me ^-^ I haven't written anything so off the hip in ages! I'm bound to forget stuff or confuse things! Keep me informed and I'll keep you entertained! ^-^  
  
Kaga: thank you! {glomps} I'm really proud of it myself. It was 3am when I finished writing it =^-^=  
  
A/N-1: I love you all.... I do I do. You feed me. I'm going to be sad when I leave Saturday night for California (I live in Michigan, US) and won't be able to post or read reviews or anything. ;-; But! Until then, enjoy my lovely story! I don't know how long I'll make it, maybe a never- ending fic ^-^*  
  
A/N-2: In case anyone is wondering, this is at the start of Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts. Meaning he's 16. Ves has been gone for almost 17 years. Thus she totally missed the down-fall of Voldie and has no clue who or what Harry is.  
  
Returning  
  
Chapter 4: (over-due) Reactions  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The last of the sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins stepped out of the classroom to barely avoid having the heavy door hit them on the way out.  
  
Ves leaned her hip against one of the student desks as she watched her brother return his wand to his robes, then slowly turn towards her. His dark eyes slowly swept over her figure, taking in her combat boots, jeans, tank-top, and duster. Her face and hair which were nearly copies of his own, only slightly sharper and bit darker since she spent a bit more time out in the sunlight than he did.  
  
She took the opportunity to conduct her own visual survey. They were both of a height, about six-feet; his greasy hair decreed that he hadn't been able to brew a potion that would fix that particular genetic problem... or he just didn't bother. His robes were stark black and closed tightly so as not to reveal any of the clothing beneath. He was perhaps a touch thinner since she had seen him last when he had been barely two years into his teaching career as well as his double-life.  
  
"I suppose," his voice was low and uninflected, "that Albus managed to kill Tristan since I know he couldn't possibly have betrayed you."  
  
She folded her arms across her chest and tipped her head slightly to one side with a sneer curving her lips. "Maybe I broke the damn curse myself," she answered in a bored tone. "It was awfully boring being all alone with no one to talk to except the students, and then it was more trying not to kill them than talking."  
  
His eyebrows snapped together and he advanced towards her. "He's back, you silly woman!" he hissed. "At least yesterday I could happily say that the only thing I cherished was /safe/ and now you're standing here!" He stopped about a foot away from her and attempted to tower over her, not easy when you're the same height. "Where Riddle could easily find you and hurt you! How could you /do/ this to me?" He stopped and took a breath, then spun around on his heel and began to pace before she could reply.  
  
^The only thing he cherished?^ she thought to herself as she watched him with surprised eyes. ^He's not got a family yet? But what about the crush he'd had on that Hufflepuff, something Brown?^  
  
"Sev," she said almost tentatively, "you're not married? You don't have any close friends? You must! I can't be the only thing you cherish!"  
  
Severus stopped in his pacing and whirled around to face his twin, his eyes snapping. "You're not married? You don't have any close friends?" he mimicked her. "Think, you silly girl. Why should I be happy when you were cut off from /everything/ you ever knew in a bid to help protect me?"  
  
"Severus Semos Snape! I /chose/ to leave so I could protect you! How dare you use that as an excuse not to be happy! Even Lucius had a fiance when I left! I /know/ he has a child! There just /aren't/ any other Malfoys! I left so that you could continue your duties without having to worry about me! How /dare/ you squander my sacrifice! I gave up /magic/ for you!"  
  
His eyes widened. "Magic? But... that's not part of the standard Charm, Ves... why would you-"  
  
"So that I could blend in you idiot!" she screamed at him, her hands dropping down to fist at her sides as she shoved away from the desk. "So that Riddle couldn't possibly think he sensed you cast a spell when you didn't. I had Albus add that into the charm for me. Surely you remembered that twins could be tracked by the magical connections they share when spells are cast," she finished bitterly, turning towards the door.  
  
Long slender arms wrapped around her from behind, "Wait Ves... I'm sorry. I forgot. I love you. I'm just frightened now that /He/'s back. I don't want to see you hurt but you're here and you're casting and please stay. I don't want to be alone anymore."  
  
With a sigh, Ves closed her eyes and leaned back against her twin, the man who was identical in every way to her except the most fundamental way. She remembered their mother explaining to them when they were so young just why some people thought they used alteration spells so they would look so alike.  
  
~~~~~~~Flashback!~~~~~~~~  
  
~~I cast a charm, one that's been banned since I cast it, Ves,~~ her mother murmured while stroking her hair with loving fingers while her father and Sev were out shopping. ~~The women in my line are cursed to be able to carry children to term only once, and I desperately wanted two children. A girl and boy. So I begged a medi-witch to cast the charm so that I could have my wish. You and Severus started out as one tiny being within me that the charm split and altered just so I could have my wish. You are my dreams and my hopes, Sureves, don't let anyone ever tell you that you are less.~~  
  
~~~~End Flashback!~~~~~~~~  
  
Curling her hands around her brother's, she leaned back with a sigh. "I can't stay mad at you Sev. I'm just so glad to finally see you again and hear your voice. And... wait," she said, wriggling around in his arms to look at him with narrowed eyes. "What did you mean by 'He's back'? You mean he was /gone/ and you didn't call me home!? You git!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N-3: Yeah, I'm ending it there. Too tired to write more, but happy to have this much out today. May write more, may not. Depends when I get home later. Must take a nap first, then it's back out into the harsh world that has nothing to do with Snape (pity). So please feed me so I don't starve while I run around/sleep without pausing for food! Review! 3 


	5. Fight

Sue: Thanks for the advice, I'm trying, but this is just a fly-by-the-seat- of-my-pants story ^-^  
  
Crydwyn: mmmmm, cupcakes. *drool* *cough* anyway, thank you for the advice, I'm still trying to figure out just how different the two would be (since Ves has been teaching Muggles she'll deff have a diff style) I'm glad you like it and I hope that I continue to write to your delight ^-^  
  
madee: I've always felt for Neville... poor boy! Should I give him a spine? Make him do a 180? Prankster!Neville? Hmmm, the idea has possibilities. o.O  
  
and to mister/miss no-name: thanks for the snack ~_^ I enjoy people letting me know they like my story ^.^  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own it... I wish I did. I want Sev to be my own. He's so pretty and lovable (cough cough, yeah right...) Anywho, I'm not the original author. I'm just stealing them. I adore stealing things... but I always give them back (maybe a bit used..)  
  
Returning  
  
Chapter 5: Fight  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Suffice it to say, there was a large amount of yelling from the dungeons during the dinner break. In fact, if it hadn't been for the Headmaster, everyone would have heard the twin quite clearly in the silence of the Dinning Hall. But since he'd kindly asked the castle to muffle the voices coming from the dungeon, no one really knew what was being yelled that night.  
  
There was, however, a great deal of speculation. The most popular idea among the muggle-borns was that someone had perfected the art of cloning and made another Snape, only botched the job and made the new Snape a girl. Among the wizarding children there was a tie. One of the theories was that Voldemort had sent the new professor like a Howler to berate Snape for being a bad Death Eater.  
  
Another theory was that Snape's long lost twin had finally found him... only to find out he was a Death Eater. Oh dear.  
  
The third theory was that this was some over-enthusiastic fan of Snape's (why anyone would like him to begin with was beyond them) who had tracked their way to Hogwarts and into the graces of Dumbledore so that she could get close to the Professor.  
  
The yelling went long into the night, making for sleepless Slytherins, but the walls continued to muffle the voices so that no one knew for sure what was being yelled.  
  
The next day found the Slytherins nodding off over breakfast when the doors slammed open and nearly identical figures in black swept through them and towards the head table. The man wore black wizard's robes (I am of the opinion that the 'robes' seen in the movies are horrible hideous things that should be burned and remade. In the books it is clearly noted that Wizard Robes are much like Muggle Dresses. I wish JKR had kept with that theme in the movies ;-;) and his face was twisted into a cross between a scowl and a sneer. Greasy black hair framed his shallow face and his dark eyes glared evilly at any student who he caught looking at himself.  
  
The woman was dressed in Muggle clothing that was the height of current teenage Muggle fashion (I'm assuming Harry is still in school, thus this fic takes place several years ago. And this was a highly popular style a few years ago, at least near me!). Her feet were encased in shiny black combat-style boots. Her legs were covered like a second skin by a pair of almost shiny black leggings. A body-hugging black tank-top ended well above the low-cut leggings, leaving a good two inches of lightly tanned skin exposed and highlighting a brilliant green and silver snake tattooed around her navel. Over all of this she wore a sleeve-less black duster that hung open and trailed behind her like a cloak. A pair of black leather (not dragon-hide, these aren't protective, just fashionable!) finger-less biker gloves graced her delicate hands, leaving her arms exposed from wrist to shoulder and revealing the green and silver snakes tattooed up and down both arms (though the students that had seen her the day before would swear those had not been there). Her own greasy black hair framed a face nearly identical to the man's, only slightly tanned instead of sallow, and more feminine.  
  
The twin seemingly ignored each other as they swept up to the head table and sat beside one another at one end.  
  
Dumbledore shook his head, blue eyes twinkling, and stood. "As some of you may all ready know, Hogwarts is proud to have two Potions Professors as of last night. Professor Sureves Snape will assist Professor Severus Snape so that Double Potions will no longer be quite such a task for him," he said happily as he turned to smile at the twins.  
  
Ves looked out at the students, carefully hiding both her pleasure at being back 'home' and her anger with her twin.  
  
"Her name's just the reverse of Snape's name!" she heard one Slytherin hiss to his table-mates. "She probably is just a clone like the Mudbloods say.  
  
Deciding to do something she knew her brother could not do, she spoke loudly enough for the entire school to hear her. "Twenty points from Slytherin, for useless gossip and profanity."  
  
The entire room started talking at once. The new, obviously Slytherin, 'twin' of Snape, 'greasy bitch' Professor had just docked Slytherin 20 points for /gossip/!  
  
Ves sneered at the Slytherin table and started eating her breakfast of a hard-boiled egg (eaten whole, the students would later say, just like a snake) and water. She could sense the amusement of her twin but she refused to acknowledge him. She was angry. It would take either a twist of fate or an accident for her to talk to him until next week. Or a very good apology gift.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The day went fairly quickly for the feuding twins. Much to the dismay of the students, points were taken off with rapid-fire precision in all Potions Classes. At noon the tallies were horribly brought to life with the lowered point levels. Ravenclaw had lost a total of 239 in a single morning while Slytherin had lost 318 points. From a single double-class! What kind of point losses would be seen in the Gryffindor/Slytherin double- class that afternoon?  
  
Either those third-years had walked on glass to please their professors or the fight had shifted focus because the two houses only lost fifty and seventy points respectively.  
  
By the time detentions for the night started, the two Snapes were hardly speaking at all, just glaring at everyone and anything.  
  
By the time detentions ended, the twins weren't even up to glaring. Although the Potions Lab and Stockrooms looked better than they had in ages and there was a list of about fifty ingredients that needed to be replaced due to unnoticed expiration dates.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: So. Here's the first full day of Ves at Hogwarts. What did you think? Please feed the author, I'm not doing a good job of feeding myself *eyes the scale where she's lost about five pounds* amazing.  
  
So come on! Comment, Review, Flame even! Of course, all Flames are subject to much laughter and giggles. Helpful pointers are always welcome! ^-^ 


	6. Return to Graces

A/N: *gasp* no reviews... ;-; I'm starving... sooo hungry ~_^ So how are you all? Come on! Review, give me your life-story! Just.... leave me notes.... please? *gives you big puppy dog eyes.....* (only for use in potions!)  
  
Returning  
  
Chapter 6: Return to Graces  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The week continued in much the same way until Sunday afternoon. Severus Snape left Hogwarts while Sureves stalked the halls, still deducting points with a vengeance even though the source of her hurt was nowhere nearby.  
  
The other teachers had, in fact, taken to handing out points like they were handing out quills. Just to make up for the sudden fall of House-Points. In fact, one Ravenclaw first year had found that bumping into a non-Snape Professor would bring a response of "Are you all right? Five points to Ravenclaw."  
  
Sev stayed out until Monday morning, only returning in time to be late to his first class (Gryf/Slyth) looking scruffy with large bags under his eyes and carrying a cardboard box with holes in the lid.  
  
Ves continued her lecture on just *why* Neville's cauldron had exploded in the last class (one should never add wolfbane to a potion that includes the fur of a werewolf).  
  
Sev swept through the class, randomly deducting ten points from Gryffindor for Potter's bad handwriting, and went straight through the door to his 'office', slamming the door behind him.  
  
Ves glanced at the office door before turning towards Malfoy and sneering down her hawk-like nose at him. "Twenty points from Slytherin for not paying attention," she said before finishing her lecture with a threat to expel the next student stupid enough to mix were-fur and wolfbane. Then she wrote the instructions for a simple Pepper-Up Potion, stating "Since you all act like first-years anyway and Poppy needs some more with the colds flying through the second years," then motioned for Granger to watch the class before stalking into the office and slamming the door shut behind her and throwing the lock she had installed last night (something to baffle non muggle-raised or muggle-study students).  
  
She glared at her twin, remembering her vow not to talk to him, with her arms folded over her chest and glaring down her nose. The blue and black badgers tattooed onto her arms (in place of the snakes, just changed that morning) also seemed to glare at him.  
  
He was sitting at the desk, upon which the box had been placed. "I dislike fighting with you, Ves," he whispered. "So I found you a forgiveness- gift." He leaned forward and tiredly pushed the box towards her.  
  
Cautiously, she stepped forward and pulled the lid off the box, looking into it with a soft hiss of surprise. "Sev, you shouldn't have," she whispered in awe as she reached into the box with careful fingers.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Yes, I'm effil. That's all you get. I'm sorry that this hasn't been updating as often as I had originally planned (once a day...) but there's been complications (my muses are in hiding, I don't know where they keep going!) so while the chapters will still have the same type of style (quick- update format usually all written in a single, short sitting and immediately posted), they'll be a bit sporadic. *sigh* I hate being depressed, it just drives everyone away (muses included).  
  
Soooo! Please feed the author! Please? The last chapter didn't get ANY reviews ;-; and it's been up for DAYS... *sniffle* so hungry. 


	7. The Gift

Anonymous: I'm glad you like the idea of two Snapes ^-^ I do too. I've always wished I was related to him! ^-^  
  
Shannon!: Well, here's what happens next ^-^ And I'm glad you like and enjoy this fic. I'm happy you think she's cool.  
  
A/N: So few reviews.... but I did get 11... for 6 chapters, that's almost 2 per chapter! (On average of course) In this chapter, you find out exactly what the gift is! (but you all ready guessed, didn't you?) And you get a bit of foreshadowing. I'm still uber-debating pairings.. so ideas are helpful.  
  
//...// is Parseltongue (what, you didn't see this coming??)  
  
Returning  
  
Chapter 7: The Gift  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ves reached into the box slowly as a soft hiss escaped her lips. Her twin could not have come up with a better gift if he'd asked her opinion first. An answering hiss escaped the box confirming her belief that this was, indeed, the most wonderful gift she'd ever received.  
  
//Get me the hell out of here!// was the response to her inquiry.  
  
So Ves lifted out the two foot long green and silver viper, which promptly slithered up her hand to curl around her forearm. Listening to the hissed curses, directed towards Severus, Ves lifted her head to look at her brother with shining eyes.  
  
"Oh, Sev..." she trailed off, unable to voice the happiness welling up inside of her.  
  
"I'm glad you like him," her brother said while looking uncomfortable. "He does have quite a dirty mouth, though. He didn't stop hissing insults at me until I got to the door of the classroom. Should be interesting how he reacts to the students."  
  
Looking at her new pet, Ves felt a contentment that had been absent since she had gone under the charm. She had a new pet, her brother, and Hogwarts' loving presence once again. Now to start meddling in Sev's life to find him a woman, or a man, to help him settle down.  
  
Looking down at the viper, she hissed softly. "What isss your name, ssssmall one?"  
  
Silence filled the room for a moment before the response hissed forth.  
  
"Sssysssleen."  
  
Ves' eyes brightened, then she grinned, "You are a very lovely viper, Sssysssleen. I've not seen many females so colorful."  
  
Sssysssleen hissed her pleasure before curling more firmly into place and falling asleep wound around the woman's arm.  
  
Ves watched the snake tiny smile, murmuring to her brother, "Remind me later to try and teach you Parseltongue again. It must be frustrating to only understand some of it and not be able to speak any of it."  
  
His only response was a soft snore. He'd fallen asleep at the desk. How uncomfortable.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Well, there's another chapter. Sorry it took so long, I've been having such a hard time writing lately. It's rather annoying. . So yes, please feed the author. If you read, please review...I'd like at least two reviews before the next chapter (more is much better, but I can't be demanding...)  
  
~Black Rose 


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